I have tried using Apache Benchmark (ab) to test my server. I ran the same test twice -- once locally on my local Mac desktop and once on a Media Temple server I rent.

EDIT:
To clarify, I am testing the same remote server, I am just running ab in different locations.

There is a drastic difference between the two results. Is the large difference due to bandwidth limitations of my ISP or other limitations of my Mac Desktop? Which result more accurately reflects the server's performance?

2 Answers
2

Benchmarking locally cannot give you any indication of how your site will perform on a remote host, unless you can manage to replicate the hardware, software running etc. on the remote host.

The difference in the results you have are normal, since you are benchmarking two totally different systems. I would recommend you consider the results of the remote benchmark, as this should reflect (and give you an idea) of how many connections your app can support.

Also, siege is a pretty awesome tool for this. Both ab and siege can easily be scripted for automation & post comparison of the benchmarking results, but siege allows for random pages to be requested instead of one specific URL, making for a more realistic benchmark.

Sorry, I meant I am benchmarking a remote server. I am just choosing to run the "ab" command either locally or on the server. I am seeing huge differences depending on where I run apache benchmark.
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bperdueFeb 15 '12 at 21:59

I'm going to conclude that there are local restrictions on my Mac desktop in my apartment. These restrictions could be at the desktop, router or ISP level.

Regardless, my Mac desktop is not able to perform ab tests on a remote server (let's call it server IP 66.55.44.33) at the same level as another server (lets call this server 88.77.66.55) in a data center.

So, when I use my Mac desktop to ab test 66.55.44.33 the results show 16 req/s.

When I use 88.77.66.55 to ab test 66.55.44.33 the results show 800 req/s.

Please note that the server being tested (66.55.44.33) resides in a datacenter in Atlanta. My local desktop is in Raleigh, NC. The second server (88.77.66.55) resides in a datacenter in Phoenix.